THE HOUSE THAT WAITED
This place had been here a long while,
but we were late in coming; it was waiting,
but we were somewhere else, enjoying our
selves, but not knowing of this place’s existence
and so it waited for over 70 years, as long as
the life of at least one of us.
We are here, now – and it had stood all
that time, and waited – and would not let us
off the hook for having been empty of us that long
yet we understood: we understood its leaking faucets
and need for new warmth and heat; we understood
all the things it would have done and become if
we were here – but hadn’t been, so it didn’t...
so we took the hammers and nails, and bought
the tools we needed – though new to the trade of
handyman and handywoman – and we scrubbed and
scrapped, and sanded and painted – oh, yes we
painted: the house had really waited for us on this one!
but watching the deepening earth tones emerging within
the rust and stains giving way, in one coat,